The comedy ‘Some Like it Hot’ was named the best American Comedy all the time during the year 2000 by the American Film institute as directed by Billy Wilder (Ku 1). The comedy is a gender bender movie whereby you cannot know the flow of the movie and what is bound to happen next. In this narrative, jazz singers Jerry and Joe (Jack Lemmon) and (Tony Curtis) witness the execution done by ‘spats’. They, however, decide to run away to Miami while dressed like women, and they call themselves Daphne and Josephine. At Miami, Joe plays as a millionaire Cruise Captain, hitting on Marilyn Munroe (Sugar).
One night Joe tries to use Jerry to dance with Osgood Fielding and him and taking advantage of this chance to bring Sugar to Osgood’s ship Claiming to own all of the so that he could win her heart. Later, on returning to the room Joe finds Jerry at his or should I refer ‘her’ world and said out that Osgood Fielding is engaged to him without knowing he was a man. Thereafter, both jazz singers witness another execution which was spat and his companions when all mobsters and thugs arrived in that hotel for a conference meeting.
However, this comedy was set in the context of gender in the 1950s in America. It was set in 1929, produced and directed by Bill Wilder, Starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Other movies acted by Tony Curtis include; The Defiant ones (1958), Sweet Smell of Success (1957), Spartacus (1960), and much other more. However, the film supports the argument on the importance sexual exploitation by men by having Joe (Tony Curtis) exploit sugar Kane (Marilyn Munroe).
Although it may pose threat on his masquerading as Josephine, it destroys the traditional perspectives by having Daphne (Jack Lemon) as the only female character who wants to be married and settle down in traditional ways. According to Billy Wilder, the film director, they developed the fact that Joe and Jerry witness the murders so that they can disguise their identities in order to survive (Philips 212). Wilder refers to the high cases of gangland killing in the 1920s whereby this period was seen by many people as decadent, wild and crime ridden.
The theme of cross-dressing is very explicit in this comedy. This is because the film is a gender bender whereby the male actor takes the opposite sex role, and sometimes one character augers well with female role even to a point of forgetting his nature. For example, Joe and Jerry decide to run away to Miami while dressed like women, and they call themselves Daphne and Josephine. Likewise, when Daphne goes to dine and dance with Osgood, they leap to the end but during the process Jerry forgets his gender releasing his female side.
However, both of them enjoy the dance and when Daphne tells Joe about the wedding, it appeared that he had admitted being a girl but Joe reminds him to tell himself he was a boy. In this Movie, Daphne likes being dressed like a girl even though he is a boy. Likewise, the theme of cross dressing is clear Joe and Jerry to escape death by dressing like women. The most critical quotation that sums up everything in this film is ‘Nobody is perfect whether it regards social norms or marriage. From the above quote, it is clear that cross-dressing can be accommodated in the society.
Moreover, this film ends with Joe showing his true gender identity to sugar and explaining every reason to Osgood why he is not good for him but end up being accepted being a guy because Osgood does not mind anything. In this way, the movie manages to keep the audience entertained through this unique feature of bending gender. The most entertaining part of ‘Some Like it Hot’ is when it employs the use of effects such as Noir which manipulate the white, black and lighting effects, therefore, making the movie extraordinary.
For instance, When Joe keeps watching her sugar singing in a sad mood after breaking to her that he was leaving to another place, lightings become dimmer while the camera zoom to his face and for a while as an audience you can feel being there with him and witnessing the whole scene together. For me, this is the moment I felt greatly touched. The White Chicks White Chicks’ is an American Comedy buddy cop film that was directed in 2004 by Keenen Ivory (Ku 1). It all begins with two FBI personnel, Kevin Copeland and Marcus (Shawn Wayans and Marlon) who are brothers also.
However, they masquerade to be Afro-Cuban who tries to catch vendors selling drugs in the ice cream but by bad luck, they bust the wrong vendor. They, however, let the criminal vendor run away thus leading to their failure in that operation. The chief decides to give them a second chance of escorting the socialites and the rich heiresses Brittany Wilson and Tiffany for them to redeem themselves. On their way to attend a social function at the Hamptons, they got involved in an accident whereby Wilson’s sister suffered minor cuts on the face.
Even though they refuse to go out of the hotel until they recover, the two brothers’ masquerade again as Wilson’s sisters in order to maintain their badges on them. The ‘White Chick’ film shares the context of gender like the ‘Some Like It Hot film. It was released in 2004 and directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans. Other movies acted by Shawn Wayans include Little Man (2006), Scary Movie 2 (2001), and Dance Flick (2009) among others. This movie begins with illegal wine in the coffin, therefore misleading us the audience by hiding the ugly truth from us.
Marcus and Kevin disguise their gender and behaved to be Tiffany sisters in order to safeguard their jobs. Likewise, Kevin tries to win Denis by changing his gender back and forth and tries to use Marcus to divert the attention of Latrell. Likewise, he tries to act the alpha male and uses the wealth and property of Latrell to win her attention Just like ‘Some Like It Hot,’ this film has a clear theme of cross dressing is also clear and emphasized. For example, after the accident, the theme of cross-dressing also emanates because they dress and behave like the socialite and the heiresses respectively in order to protect their jobs.
Likewise, Marcus acts as Tiffany has it fun being a girl with her best friend. Therefore, from here we can deduce his feminine side which he enjoys to do. This film has been made in the way that gets us watching because of this theme. The quote ‘Nobody is perfect from the ‘Some Like It Hot comedy also apply here. This regards to the social standings the society takes on issues of marriage. For example, during the confrontation between Marcus and his wife and that one between Denise and Kevin about the whole truth are forgiven somehow and that is what we the audience expect in the end.
Likewise, this movie also keeps us entertained through the music and lightings involved. The most entertaining part is that White Chicks greatly emphasizes on facial expression, dressing, and Script. For instance, after a botched mission to arrest bust a drug vendor, Marcus Copeland and Kevin Copeland become a disgrace to the agency. However, I find it hilarious when they decide to swap their bad positions Chief Elliot by working undercover in an abduction case and when they disguise to be the two spoiled daughters of a tycoon Brittany and Tiffany Wilson.